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Lawrence Block’s 17 Matthew Scudder novels have won the hearts of readers throughout the world—along with a bevy of awards including the Edgar, the Shamus, the Philip Marlowe (Germany), and the Maltese Falcon (Japan). And it’s Matt Scudder who’s been largely responsible for Block’s lifetime achievement awards: Grand Master (Mystery Writers of America), The Eye (Private Eye Writers of America), and the Cartier Diamond Dagger (UK Crime Writers Association).

About the Author

Lawrence Block, a Mystery Writers of America Grand Master, is a four–time winner of the Edgar and Shamus Awards. He is the author of more than fifty books, among them the Matthew Scudder mysteries Eight Million Ways to Die, The Sins of the Fathers, and A Stab in the Dark.

Top Customer Reviews

This collection includes every short story that Lawrence Block has written about Matthew Scudder, so provides a kind of alternative chronology or companion to the Scudder novels. Block famously says he never knows whether a series is over, but the final story here, 'One Last Night At Grogan's' has an air of finality about it, neatly summarising many of the events in the life of Scudder and the series' central characters. (There's also a fun, previously uncirculated squib about bar-owner Mick Ballou that interprets the final scene of 'The Sopranos'). It's a satisfying ending to a collection that will prove essential to Scudder devotees and an ideal introduction to those new to one of crime fiction's most memorable, best written investigators.

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For the first time ever, all the short stories featuring Matthew Scudder are collected between two covers.

Matthew Scudder has been my favorite detective for a few years now and I'm always ready for more of his stories. The Night and the Music is all I could hope for and more. From the touching intro by Brian Koppelman to Lawrence Block's notes at the end, I was once again entranced.

The stories presented are from various points in Matthew Scudder's career. It could easily serve as either a jumping on point for new readers or a nice summation of the series. You've got Matt solving staged suicides, setups, and mysterious deaths. There are stories of Matt during his seldom talked about days on the police force and even one of his jobs with Reliable, rounding up bootleg Batman merchandise. The later stories are my favorite. As Matt enters the later years of his life, he spends more time thinking about the old days. He and Elaine run into someone he arrested years before while vacationing in Italy. Mick Ballou and Matt talk about death and Mick asks Matt to be his best man.

The final story in the collection threatened to yank silent tears from my manly ducts. Mick has closed Grogan's and he, Matt, Elaine, and Kristin gather for one last night of stories. As Mick and Matt reminisced about the earlier times in that fabled bar, I remembered experiencing the same moments with them in the early books. If Lawrence Block never writes another Matthew Scudder book, One Last Night at Grogan's would be a beautiful way to end the series.

I can't recommend the Matthew Scudder series enough and The Night and The Music is no exception!

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I just finished this collection of stories about Matthew Scudder. It works as both as a companion to the novels and as an introduction to those unfamiliar with them. For me, it was the latter. I'd never read any of the novels and was delighted enough as I read them to stop and order the first two books.

They are not all crime stories. Some are character pieces that delve into Scudder's, and those around him, character. All quite nicely done.

A quite satisfying set of stories.

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In these stories Matt Scudder looks back to his days as a patrolman and then a detective with the NYPD. If you never read a book in the Matt Scudder series this would be a good place to start and get a glimpse into his turbulent life. Block writes so well with this protagonist Matt a straight cut guy that has gathered many long time fans over the years. I found the short stories enjoyable and the mark of a crafted writer is apparent with stories that are light, enjoyable and easy to read through.

The first story Out of The Window has a nice little case of veritgo, well it seems Matt has a case of height fears like me, that old palpitations and dizziness you get when heights are in the picture. He needs to solve a case of a jumper a local dame he knows on the simplest terms, who was a waitress in a cafe he frequents. Suicide or murder?

The second story A Candle for The Bag Lady involves a local lady nicknamed the bag lady. She gets murdered and Matt finds himself on her will which is a strange occurrence. He digs deeper to find out that maybe she was acting pre-emptively, in needing of his services. Anyway he can't let this one go, he must find the bag ladies killer. Some locals thought she was one that didn't count and just a ghost in the community but her death proved she was a legacy, a character that made a Mark in peoples lives.

Batman's Helpers a story back when he and some patrolmen had to clean the streets of illegal merchandise. All the Batman shirts and goodies that were copyrighted and had not permission to be made was being taking out of circulation. Fold up your tables and quit shop.

In The Night and The Music, also the title of the collection, you wil find Matt and his wife reminiscing.Read more ›

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I thought I had read all of Lawrence Block's Matthew Scudder short stories, but I had missed one or two, and of course One Last Night At Grogan's was brand new. It was a joy to be drawn into Scudder's world again. It's one of those things you know is going to happen but is impossible to pinpoint the exact moment it occurs. One moment I was reading words and thinking about writing style and point of view and the next I was immersed in the story, sharing Matthew Scudder's thoughts, alive in his world.It was a thrill to read this collection of Scudder stories; this is Lawrence Block at his best. Here's hoping he never stops writing.

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